Not entirely true. I already noted that RZ yards are hard to come by b/c there is less field to defend, but our RZ efficiency is way below average. VT was 104 of 120 in RZ efficiency last year, and in a year where it faced very poor defenses. http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/f...t/team/1038/p3

So again, there is no reason VT should be 104 out of 120 where the best defense it faced last year was Arkansas State. VT did not face a single elite D (top 10) or excellent D (top 20) or very good D(top 30), just one good D against a statistically decent ASU playing in a non-BCS conference. When you tell the opposing D that 90% of the time, you are going to run the ball on 1st and 2nd downs, the likelihood of getting stopped goes up considerably. If the D is kept on their heels, the odds are better, not as good between the 20's, but certainly better when a real threat of the forward pass exists.

Quote Originally Posted by amptech View Post
The red zone has way less open spots as the D has so much less to defend so passing is more risky than between the 20s. The red zone is where you do just hunker down and everybody drives just a little harder than the D does.

Red zone success is where the O as a unit drives a little harder than the D.

We weren't real good at that the last couple of years. Ryan could attack the middle but TT really couldn't. Then last year LT really could but DW was not so much. I have high hopes for Holmes this year.

The red zone more than anywhere else is dependent upon execution due solely to the D having to defend so much less.